Eggs, Ham, and Sausage: The Breakfast of Champions

As the old saying goes, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Not only does a good breakfast wake you up and help you face the day ahead of you, but it also gives your body the energy it needs to take the day by storm. An important part of breakfast comes in the form of protein. While it’s not necessary for you to pack your breakfast full of bacon, sausage, and eggs, it does make for a delicious and nutritious breakfast.

Breakfast proteins come in many forms, from the more traditional sausage and bacon to shredded chicken, poached salmon, and even peanut butter. Breakfast proteins aren’t reserved just for those who eat meat, there are plenty of vegetarian and vegan options that can help make sure you get the right energy boost to help you take on even the worst Monday.

An Eggcelent Protein

Let’s start our look at breakfast proteins with the most versatile protein on the market: eggs. While you probably know that eggs can be scrambled, fried, poached, deviled, and a whole range of other options, their general adaptiveness makes them the unsung hero of breakfast foods. Eggs can be mixed into a number of recipes, including breakfast pastries, like pancakes. They can also be used to make everyone’s go-to brunch recipe, quiche, as well as more filling meals like fried eggs and hash browns. They can be placed on top of bagels, toast, and anything else you feel needs an extra bit of protein. They’re also a staple in many diets, such as the keto diet, the Atkins diet, and most vegetarian diets. Breakfast would be seriously lacking without eggs.

One of the hardest things to master in the kitchen the sunny-side up egg. Making sure that the yolk is properly heated, but not cooked solid, is the real trick to master for these delightfully dippable eggs. In order to make an easy sunny-side-up egg, you will need a nonstick frying pan or a cast iron skillet, two tablespoons of vegetable oil or olive oil, a spatula, a spoon, and of course an egg. To avoid extra shells in your sunny-side up egg, it is always best to crack your egg into a cup before pouring onto the skillet. The trick is heating the pan to high before placing the egg into the pan. Once the skillet is hot, place the oil into the skillet and allow to heat until glimmering. Next, place the egg into the oil and allowed to cook for one minute. Then, using a spoon, take some of the heated oil and pour it over top of the egg yolk, until the egg yolk starts to slightly solidify, and the top layer of the egg loses its transparency. Carefully transfer the egg onto a plate or toast and enjoy.

Breakfast’s Missing Link

The next breakfast protein that deserves a spot on every plate is sausages. Sausages are, for one, delicious, last an incredibly long time, and add a bit of pizzazz to any breakfast spread. Sausages come in many forms and can be made from many ingredients, and while it is hard to deny that homemade or farm-fresh sausages are significantly healthier than their frozen counterparts, it’s hard to deny the appeal of quick-make frozen sausages. Whichever type you prefer, it is always best to balance your sausage intake with fruits and vegetables, as they can be high in fats. One of the upsides of cooking sausages over the stove is at the grease can be used to cook your eggs or other breakfast foods in add a kick the flavor, as well to save you a bit of olive oil in the long run. In a surprising turn of events, however, one sausage link has less protein on average than a single egg, but there is no denying the obvious flavor advantage that comes from sausages.

If you’re looking for a really out of this world breakfast, cook your sausages in a skillet according to the directions on the package, then remove the cooked sausages and dice. In a separate bowl, mix two to three eggs, some shredded cheddar cheese to taste, and the chopped sausage. Pour the mixture into a skillet and cook, folding in half once the underside is largely cooked through. You’ll have an omelet that is irresistible and packed with the protein you need to make it through the day.

The Unsung Heroes of Breakfast

Some of the more unconventional, but still delicious, proteins for breakfast include leaner meats, like chicken and salmon. Chicken deserves a place at every meal of the day, as it is a very versatile source of protein that adapts well to any recipe. Shredded chicken is perfect for breakfast tacos, as well as a fantastic addition to any omelet, quiche, or even hash brown recipe if you are looking for that little extra kick of flavor to really bring out the best in the potatoes. If you’re looking for a little extra fat content to help get you through the day, including the skin of the chicken in any recipe you cook can really help make sure your breakfast goes the distance so you don’t find your stomach growling a couple hours later.e

While anyone from New York will tell you that lox is one of the best things to put on a bagel, most people don’t think of salmon as a breakfast food right off the bat. This is unfortunate, as salmon is packed with nutrients and protein that will help keep the midday or early morning munchies away. One of the most common recipes for breakfast salmon is poaching it, but cooked salmon is also wonderful when flaked and mixed into an omelet or any other recipe. Be warned: not everyone is a fan of fish for breakfast, so it’s always best to judge your audience before digging into this unique protein.

Bacon Makes it Better

We would be doing a disservice if we left out the Holy Grail of breakfast foods: bacon. Bacon lasts nearly forever, is easy to cook, and works in almost any meal, no matter what time of day. With the popularity of chocolate covered bacon, it even finds its way into dessert, though a heavy dose of chocolate is not recommended for a healthy breakfast. Bacon can be diced, crumbled, chopped, sprinkled, and served as is as a delicious source of protein that almost no one will turn down. When cooking bacon, it can be a challenge to deal with the splattering that comes from frying it on a stove top, so consider baking your bacon in an oven to ensure crispy slices and less splatter. However, nothing beats eggs baked in the grease left over from frying bacon, so sometimes it is worth the splatter for a delicious breakfast.

Presentation Matters

If you are looking for an easy and attractive way to serve eggs and bacon for breakfast, check out this handy YouTube tutorial:

Don’t Count Protein Out

Breakfast proteins come in all shapes and forms, from eggs, salmon, chicken, and bacon, to ham, sausages, ground beef, and even nuts. Making sure that your breakfast has a solid foundation of nutrients to help get you through the day is important, as skipping breakfast or eating a light breakfast can leave you hungry. And protein doesn’t just come in the form of animal products, as many tree nuts are high in protein and fats to help make sure your breakfast goes the distance, no matter your dietary preference. And as strange as it might sound, nothing tastes better than eggs, peanut butter, and bacon—take our word for it. So no matter what type of breakfast you’re looking for, make sure you don’t leave out protein, otherwise, you’ll find yourself craving bacon all day.